Tire gauge



H. N. THUNE Sept.v 15, 1931.

TIRE GAUGE Urginal Filed July 28, 1927 Patented Sept.A 15, 1931 Ulvlf'rlzl)1 isrkrlssl PATENT OFFICE HELMER N. THUNE, CLIMAX, MINNESOTA TIRE GAUGE Original application-filed July 28, 1927, Serial No. 209,014. Divided and this application led May 28,

The present invention is directed to improvements inv tire gaugesand is a division of my copendingapplication for tire gauge, filed July 28,1927, Serial No. 209,014.

G* The invention has forr its primary object to provide a novel valve arrangement to control the flow of pressure fluid to the gauge.

Another obj ect of the invention is to pro# vide a device'of this character so constructed that it can be used` in connection with wheels of various kinds, the construction and arrangement being suchk that air maybe introduced into the tire without operating the gauge, if desired. y n' n AWhile the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and such other changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention Vas y claimed, without departing from the spirity thereof. f

y For a full understanding of the invention and the vmerits thereof, reference is to be had toj the following description' yandthe drawings hereto attached, in' which,-

l FigureV 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device.r y y l y 30 Figure' 2 isa'sectional view on line 2 2 of Figure 1. j v n Figure3 is a perspective viewof the lever.`

Y Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation. Correspondingan'dlike parts are referred to inthe following description vand designatedI inthe several views of the drawings by like reference characters. l

Y Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a hollow head having a cap threaded 'thereon and confining a rubber plate 3 provided with a valve seat 4, and cooperating with said seat is a valve disk 5 having a valvefstemengaging lug 6 carried thereby. The head 1r terminates in a hollow neck 7 in which is 45 pivotally'mounted a lever` 8, said leverhavf ing its forward end provided with a head 9 adapted to slidably bear against the disk 5, said head being resiliently maintained engaged upon 'the diskv by the 'spring 10 which 5 has one end fixed to the' lever and its other Serial No. 281,308. n

end engaged with the interior wall of the head 1. l

vThe neck 7 has a threaded extension 11 protruding therefrom and provided with an axial opening 12in which is slidably engaged a stem 13, said stem fitting in the opening somewhat close, but not too close, to permit air to pass through the opening.

Threaded upon theextension 11 is a coupling 14 having a chamber 15 therein and in which is located a coil spring 16 which engages the valve disk 17 fixed to the lower end of the stem 13, and which serves as a closure for the air entrance end of the opening.

A nipple 18 leads from the coupling 14 to which an air conducting hose, not shown, is secured for admitting compressed air to the gauge. The rear 'end of the neck 7 is provided with an ext'eriorly and interiorly threaded annulus 19, andhaving its inner end threaded exte'riorly thereon is a barrel 20, while the concentrically arranged tube 21 has its inner end threaded interiorly of said annulus, the annulus maintaining the barrel and tube in spacedv relation. A portion of the barrel is shaped to define an indicatory 22.

' The tube 21 has threaded therein the eX- tension 23 of the plug 24, said plug having a threaded periphery 25rfor engagement'with the tubular member 26 movable in the space between the barrel 20 and tube 21, the tubular member 26 having a cap 27 threaded thereon i and provided witha threaded opening'28, the

purpose of which will later appear.' Gradu# ations denoting pounds pressure are marked upon the tubular member 26, as shown in Figure 4, to cooperate withth'e' pointer 22. A

gasket 20 is providedin the outer end portion of the barrel to prevent sedimentI` grit and moisture entering between the barrel and tubular member 26 and into the gauge.

In the forward en dof the tube 211 is mounted a hollow pistonu29. the forward end of which is closed by disk 30 having a seat 31 and with which cooperates a ball valve 32, said ball being confined in thecage 33, there being a cup washer 34 fixed thereto.

An air inlet 35 is formed in the rear wall of the neck 7 to permit air to enter the piston 29 seating the ball valve in the seat 31. Having its outer end threaded in the opening 28 leased by the cams 45 mounted in the outer collar-39.

The cylinder 36 is'iurther furnished; with. a pair of slots 46 in which the latches 44 rest and normally interlockv with the rear walls'y thereof. rlhe inner end of the cylinder has secured theretoa plate'r 47 having recesses 48 termed 'in its periphery for' passageoi1 air 1 into the cylinder anil't'e permit passageoi'the eamsitherethrougli; l

The plunger-41: bears against' the 'dislr 48 carried byv the innerl end of the stem 49, the outerend of which.- carries a cup-shaped head whichi normally closestthe outer en do'f the cylinder 36? and when; seated' will obviously preventY the entrance ofjdust, grit and moisture. A. coil springfi encircles this stem. andy has itsiin'n'er endbe'aring against theplunger 4:1? and itsother endfengaged with an' annular shoulder ormedinteriorly of the cylinder.

Encireling the cylinders and'collars and: 39'i's a coil'- spring53 which has its outerend engaged with: the extension- 230ic the plug 24, and'hasiits inner end engaged with the outer vend olf the coil' spring 54 which is of? less strength thanthe spring 53, the inner end of the spring 5'4 being engaged with theA dislr 30; Since the' spring 54 is ofi less strength than thespring 5'3,`it will allow the piston: to

move more forl each' pound ofpressure than the Sprin'g'53 "wouldy allbw it to move. This Willallow for singular 'graduation' up to a certain pressure',asithe cap 27 which'. brings the lcylinder 36 with lit inor out, and? the barre'lfQ will have toibe turned around more forv each pio'und, than when 'at thehi'gher pressure Whenth'espring'B talesfeiiect and will have' to yield. f i The plug 24 is provided withian: atrial-y bore ?"i7nj orderfthat the cylinder36 may slide therein during the adjustment of the gauge.

It willl beiapparenty that whenV the headl 1 is engaged; with-jan inliation valveof a tire that the: valvestem ther-edf will engage the lug 6, thus unseating the' disk 5 and rocking the lever 8, whereupon theinner end thereof will engage thestem1-3 to unseat 'the valve 17 .to permit airtopassthrough the opening 12 and into the tire;` Obviously, when the head 'is n removed from engagement withthe tire inflation valvesteinpthesp'ring 1'6Fand air pressure provided ink the chamber 15 will seat t-henzalve 17 to'fcut off thea-ir supply. f'

Assumingf ythat the Ltire is under-latedV and it is' desired to inflate the sameto the predetermined pressure, the cap 27 is rotated which feeds the member 26 and cylinder 36 inwardly or outwardly, owing to its threaded sure upon the piston '29 to force the same outwardly, compressing the springs 53 and 54 unt-il.- theplate- 30 'contacts-with the.. .outerA col.-y

lar 39 and-forces the same outwardly against the tension of the Spring 40. As soon as the cams 4'5 fully `engage the: latches 44: they will berelease'd and the spring 40 willv expand, relieving thepressure against the piston and therebyfforcing thecollar 38aw'ay from the collar 39; The collar 38 carries with it'` the plunger41 which is connected to the collar 38 by pins sliding inthe slots 37 of the'cylinder36 and this forces the spring 51 toyield and the plunger pushes the stem carryingthe cup shaped head 50 out for free escape of air to atmosphere with a hissing sound t'o indicate that theproper pressurehas been built up inthe tire.. Quickmovement of the piston caused by release of the spring`40 will now cause thevalve in the piston to engage the plate'47 of the cylinder and the valve'32. will be suddenly moved to a; wide-open position. As'the airpasses into the cylinder 36it will exert' pressure upon the plunger fas it passes thereby, thus aiding the compressing of the springl which is a comparatively weak one, but of suliicient strength to force the plunger 41 and collars 38 and 39 forwardly and reseat the sametassoony as th'egauge is removedfroin the tire-inflation valve. The springs-5v3 and 54-` will return the piston 29 toitsno'rmalposition and the stillness of the spring' 40 will move theinner collaninwaridly by thespring V51 forcing the plunger 41 inwardly incr-der that the latches 44 will fagain snapy into engagement with the slot 46 of the cylinder 3.6. If it isfdesired toascertain theair pressure in a tirel the head 1. is'engaged with the tire valve toopen the seat 4, but'atfa pressure which will not rock: the lever 8 s'ullicientlyv to open the valve 17. In case the tire has beeniprevi'ously over-inllated' the gauge willv open*V to permit theescape of excess pressure. Of course, if it is then desired to inllate the tire Ythe head is pressed with sucient io'rceV upon'the. tire valve to cause the lever to open the valve.

Having thus described the; invention, I claim: Y Y .Y

, 1. An air? controlling valve comprising an elongated hollow body having a: lateral air inlet at one end and a substantially lateral outlet at the opposite end, a valve normally closing the inlet and provided with a stem extendingI laterally into the body, and av lever 45 In testimony whereof I affix my signature. l

HELMER N. THUNE. [n s] thereto, one end of the lever terminating opposite the outlet to be acted upon by the valve stem of the tire or other article vto be inflated, the other end of the lever extending across 5 the stem of the inlet kcontrolling valve to unseat the latter, and a spring yieldably retaining the lever inV its normal position.

2. An air controlling valve comprising an elongated hollow body having a lateral air 1@ inlet at one end and a substantially lateral outlet at the opposite end, a valve normally closing the inlet and provided with a stem extending laterally into the body, a closure for the outlet in said body movable into and out of closing relation to the outlet, and a lever within the body pivoted intermediate its ends thereto, one end of the lever terminating adjacent the outlet to bear against the closure for the outlet and the other end of they lever extending across the stem of the inlet controlling valve to unseat the latter when moved to engage the stem, and a spring yieldably holding said lever in a normal position with the outlet closed.

3. An air controlling valve comprising an elongated hollow body having a lateral air inlet at one end anda substantially lateral outlet at the opposite end, and having a lateral extension in line with the inlet, a valve seated on the outer end of the lateral eXtension and provided with a stem passing loosely through said extension and terminating withiny the valve body, a chambered coupling fitted to the said lateral extension and formed with a hose receiving nipple, a spring` in the chamber of the coupling normally holding the valve seated, and a lever within the body pivoted intermediate its ends thereto, one end of the lever terminating opposite the outlet to be acted upon by the valve stem of the tire or other article to be inflated, and the other end of the lever extending across the stem pf the inlet controlling valve to unseat the atter. 

